Truck



May 19, 1925.

E. OHNSTRAND TRUCK Filed April 12. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill-Z1116.

May 19, 1925.

E OHNSTRAND TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1922 MWfW May 19, 1925.

E. OHNSTRAND TRUCK Filed April 12. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 o o o o o 90.0 o o o o o o o o 0 0M OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OGOOOOO Patented May 19, 1925.,

UNITED STATE FFECE.

ENIOCH OHNSTBAND, OF MOHAWK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T LIBRARY BUREAU, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF NET/V JERSEY.

TRUCK.

Application filed April 12, 1922. Serial No. 551,957.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ENooH OHNSTRAND, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Mohawk, in the county of Herl mer and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in 7 Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trucks of the type used to convey relatively small quantities of articles or mechandise, often of a heavy nature, for short distances usually within a building. Such trucks are ordinarily manually operated and of a size permitting them to be taken into passenger elevators and used in passageways and stor age rooms where space is restricted. On this account devices of this character must be so constructed that their direction of movement may be easily controlled.

Objects of the invention are to provide a device of the class described which can be easily guided in any directioir without changing the position of the truck body, to so arrange the steering mechanism that it can be actuated by the truck operator without moving from the position in which he can best control the movement of the truck, and in general to improve devices of this kind and facilitate their operation. I

For the purpose of illustrating the" invention one concrete'embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which, i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation; Fig.2 is a plan View from below with portions of the frame shown. in section;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; p

Fig. 4. is asection on the line 44L of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5- 5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment of invention shown for the purpose of illustration comprises a truck particularly designed for use in banks to transport heavy record books, documents, etc. While the truck may be constructed to be enclosed on all sides, it is shown in Fig. 2 as open on two sides and may be provided with a series of shelves a, if desired between the upright ends. While the truck may be constructed of any suitable material, it is preferably made of metal, the body and frame being largely constructed ofsheet metal, preferably steel." The truck comprises a body having a platform or base 7,

end uprights 8 and 9 and side uprights 10 As shown in Figs. '2 and 5, the

and 11. marginal portions of the sides, end and base are bent to form perpendicular flanges-.12,

those which abut being united in any suitable manner preferably by welding. The end uprights 8 and 9 are strengthened by spaced plates 13 and l l-be nt twice at right angles to form end portions, thelast bend forming flanges 15 which abut plates 8 and 9 respectively and are welded thereto. Hollow rigid end members are thus formed for the truck. Y f

The central portion ofthe platform or relatively wide channel member 16 upon the under side thereof, between the flanged ends 17 of which a filler plate 18 is provided serving as a further reinforcement. Mounted in spaced relation upon'theflfiller plate 18 and fastened thereto by screws or bolts 19 which extend through filler 18,

- channel member 16 and into base 7 are castlugs 20 having a. central depression 21 and a reduced opening 22 centrally disposed therein Mounted for rotation on castings 20 is a wheel or caster support 23 in the form of a casting having a domed portion 2 1 shaped to fit the. central circular depression 21 in casting 20and anintegral pivot projection 25 extending into opening 22 and retained therein by the provision of a plate 26 spanning the adjacent portions of casting 20 and retained ,upon pivot projection 25by a screw 27 fast in casting 23. Filler plate18has a-recess 28 properly disposed to receive retaining plate 26. To permit free turning movement of casting 23 upon socket casting 20, ball bearings 29 held in ball cage 30 are arranged to run insuitable ball races thereon. -E2itending downwardly from casting 23 are spaced brackets 31 connected by a pivot pin 32 upon which wheels or casters 34: are rotatively mounted.

These wheels may be provided with a rim or a tread member 35 of raw hide, rubber, rubber substitute or other suitable material.

base 7 is stiffened and" strengthened by a Extending at an angle to brackets 31 upon castings 23 are arms 36 to which are pivoted by pins37, links 38, the free ends of which are pivoted'to one end of a lever 39 which is mounted for swinging'movement upon a pivot 40 fast in the boss 41 which projects from a plate 42 of irregular shape shown in. Fig. 2 and fast to the filler block 18 in any suitable manner as by screws 43. This plate has an elongate, integral projection 44 extending transversely of the truck base and having a channel or groove 45 extending the length thereof provided with undercut sides in which is fitted for reciprocatory sliding movement a block or slide 46 to which the opposite end of lever 39 is pivoted. Mounted at one end of slide 45 for free turning movement in bearings 47 which are supported by brackets 48 fast upon filler block 18 is a short-shaft 49 having mounted thereon a sprocket'wheel 50. At the opposite end of the slot 45 1s a second sprocket wheel 51 in line with, the sprocket wheel and mounted upon a shaft 52 which is sup- 7 ported in bearings on brackets 54. li iounted upon sprockets -50 and 51 1s a chain 55, the ends of which are attached to I slide 46-.

provided with a transverse slot 56 to permit This slide as shown in Fig. 4 is the necessary amount of relative movement .or play of the connection to lever 39 upon the slide. 7,

The outer end of shaft 52' projects into the hollow casing made by spaced plates 8 .and 13 which form one end of the truck and is provided with a sprocket wheel 57 over which runs .a chain '58 to a second sprocket wheel 59 mountd upon a short shaft 60, mounted in suitable bearings in the min forced adjacent portions of plates 8 and 13. One end of shaft 60 projects outwardly beyond plate 18 and is provided with an operating or steering handle 61. By turning handle 61, the various sprocket chain and shaftfconnections are actuated .to'mo've slide block 46-whieh in turn operates lever 39,

thus actuating links 38 to turn guide wheels or rollers, maintained in parallelism by said inks, simultaneously-to the same extent. to

guide or. steer the truck. The proportions of the parts making up the connection from their adjusted positions; in this case two positions, namely when. the wheels are dis-. posed longitudinally of the body and when transversely of the body. This means may ,take the formof a spring pressed bolt 62 mounted for sliding movement in a suitable casing 63 fast on block 42. The bolt 62 has a wedge shaped end which cooperateswith similarly shaped slots or grooves 64 in the lever 39.- In the ositions in whichj' the parts are shown in ig. 2, the guide wheels are locked for movement of the truck in a straight line forward or backward. If the steering handle is operated to throw, lever 39 to the position in which bolt 62 will enter the other of the slots 64, wheels 34 will then be disposed in a position at right angles'to the position to which they are shown in Fig.

2 and the truck can then be moved bodily sidewise. WVhile two Wheels such as 84 centrally disposed as described might'be sulib oient to manipulate the truck, it'is easier to handle if the other casters such as are fastened near the opposite ends thereof. These auxiliary casters 70, as indicated in Fig. 1, do not project as far below the truck as wheels 34 so that the truck may belbalanced, if desired, upon wheels34 for initial movement in any desired direction. Casters 7 0 are mounted to swing loosely about a vertical pivotand .may be provided with ball bearings in a similar manner to the central wheels 34. By mounting casters 7O loosely,

they will turn and follow the direction of movement of the truck initially given to it by .the steering wheel 34. The castings 71 upon which casters 7 O are rotatably mounted are preferably attached as by screws or bolts 7 2 to hollow reinforcing beams 7 3 disposed transversely of the truck adjacent theends thereof and in parallelism with therein-v forcing channel member 16. These hollow beams as shown, are bent fro'msheet metal and provided with flanges 74 fast to the base of the truck as by welding. For further stiffness and rigidity and to provide afirm anchorage for bolts 72, 'afill'e'r plate 7 4 may be secured within the base of the hollow beams 73 (FigL 5).

For convenience in manipulating the truck, handles or grip bars 75may' be provided near the top of theendmembers 1). When two men are using th truck, one stands at each end. If one man is operating it, he stands at the end having steering handle 61 and changes the adjustment of steering wheels 34 as desired as he moves the truck along.

Iclaimr w u I 1. A truck'having a pair of guide members pivoted therebeneath, a leverpivoted to the bottom of the" truck, links'con-necting said members t'o said lever and arranged to maintain said parallel relation, and means including a remembers in substantially" ciprocabl'e slide connectedto 'saidlever for actuating the latter to change the angular disposition of said members.

2. A trucl; for use in banks and the like having antifriction members on the base thereof, said members being arranged for freet'u'rning movement in any direction, a

pair of steering Wheels extending below said members, a link and lever connection for simultaneously turning said wheels in the same direction, and means for actuating said connection including a reciprocable member controlled from a distance by the operator of the truck.

3. A truck having antifriction members in the base thereof, said members being arranged for free turning movement in any direction, a pair of steering wheels extending below said members,a link and lever connection for sin'rultaneously turning said wheels in the same direction, a slide for controlling said connection, and means for actuating said slide to steer'the truck, including a steering handle for manipulation by the operator of the truck.

4. A truck for use in banks and the like having a steering lever mounted in one end thereof, a connection between said lever and a shaft mounted for rotation beneath the truck, a second shaft in spaced parallel relation to said first shaft, a sprocket chain operatively connecting sprocket wheelson said shafts, a slide mounted and arranged to be reciprocated by said chain, a lever actuated by said slide, a pair of guide Wheels mounted for free turning movement upon the truck, and means for connecting said lever to said Wheels whereby the latter are maintained in parallel disposition and simultaneously turned to' steer the truck.

5. A truck for manual operation having a body, a steering lever mounted in one side thereof for convenient operatlon, a connection between said lever and a shaft mounted for rotation beneath the truck, a second shaft in spaced parallel relation to said first shaft, a sprocket chain operatively connecting; sprocket wheels on said shafts, a slide- .mounted and arranged to be reciprocated by simultaneously turned to steer the truck.

6. A truck comprising a guide wheel pivoted therebeneath, a block eating said block including a sprocket chain having 1ts opposlte ends connected to the block, and lever mechanlsm connecting said block with said wheel to turn the axle of the wheel.

7. A truck comprising a guide wheel pivoted therebeneath, a block movably mounted on the truck, means including a sprocket chain for reciprocating said block, and lever mechanism connecting said block with said wheel to turn the axle of the Wheel.

8. A truck having a pivoted guide wheel and a channel therebeneath, and means for changing the angular position of said wheel to steer the truck including a slide slidable in said channel and connections from the slide to the wheel whereby movement of said slide is communicated to said Wheel.

day of April, 19:22.

ENOCH OHNSTRAND.

movably. mounted on the truck, means for rec-1pro.

Signed by me at Ilion, N. Y., this 10th I Y 

